It's 'bone-appétit' for California canines

California diners can now legally enjoy a meal on a
restaurant patio with their dogs in tow, under a law signed
by Governor Jerry Brown that eliminates health code
regulations banning restaurant owners from allowing pooches
on the premises.

Starting next year, California canines will be allowed to
dine al fresco if they are wearing leashes or are relaxing in
a carrier.

""I wish everyone 'bone-appétit,'" quipped Democratic
Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, the law's author. "Restaurateurs
in California will see more businesses catering to their
customers and the canine companions they love."

The new law clarifies a section of the state's health code
that banned dogs from restaurants altogether, including on
outdoor patios or courtyards. The rule has caused confusion
because some local governments choose to enforce the law,
while others turned a blind eye.

In counties where local officials were more lax about
enforcement, restaurant owners who encouraged their guests to
bring their pups to dinner were at risk of facing penalties
for a health code violation.

"We're thrilled that now restaurants will have more freedom
to determine for themselves the customers they'd like to
serve," said Angelica Pappas, spokeswoman for the California
Restaurant Association. "For many, the four-legged kind - and
their people - are a hungry market."

The law only allows dogs on restaurant patios if there is a
separate entrance where they can enter the outdoor area
without entering the restaurant building.

Further restrictions also ban dogs from sitting on chairs or
benches, mingling in kitchens, or making direct contact with
servers or cooks. Pet owners will also be held liable for any
property damage their dogs cause.

The law does not require local governments to allow pets on
the restaurant patios, however, so some may still ban them.

The law made it through the legislature with wide bipartisan
support. Governor Brown, whose dog Sutter Brown is a
Sacramento icon complete with his own Twitter account, did
not comment on the signing of the bill.